Chicago's musical offerings this New Year's Eve

Dedicated club-hoppers know that Chicago is one of the best cities for live music in America, and it often rocks harder than ever on New Year's Eve.

Sure, you have to compete for space at the bar with folks who only venture out once every few months. But it can be worth the trouble for the right holiday show.

Here is an overview of the coolest sounds to usher in 2010, starting with my top five picks among the many offerings.

1. The Jesus Lizard at Metro, 3730 N. Clark

Plain and simple, this quartet is one of the best bands Chicago has ever produced, especially onstage. It has delivered at all three of its hometown reunion gigs to date, even when it was a bit rusty at the Pitchfork Music Festival last July, and even when vocalist David Yow injured his ribs at the first of two Metro shows last November and had to play the second while seated on a stool. You know the group will have something special planned for the holiday.

Disappears opens at 10 p.m., and tickets are $51 in advance, $61 at the door; call (773) 549-4140 or visit www.metrochicago.com. Meanwhile, below the main room at Metro in Smart Bar, the DJ booth with host an all-Chicago lineup including Chris Santiago, the Hood Internet, John Patterson, Sassmouth, Bald E. and Nate Manic. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 day of show or $75 for reserved seating.

2. Pegboy and Shot Baker at the Beat Kitchen, 2100 W. Belmont

Shut out of the Jesus Lizard? A more straightforward but no less rousing night of classic Chicago punk is being served up by the Beat Kitchen, courtesy of the long-running and always entertaining Pegboy, with Shot Baker drawing on that group's influence as well as Naked Raygun and the Effigies. Anxiety High opens at 10, and tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at door; check (773) 281-4444 or www.beatkitchen.com.

3. Local H and Electric Six at Double Door, 1572 N. Milwaukee

Scott Lucas is gearing up to release a potent debut album by his new band the Married Men early next year, so this may be the last opportunity for some time to hear him with his vastly underrated melodic grunge combo Local H. Detroit's Electric Six is just as stellar in concert, and White Mystery opens at 9:30 p.m. The cover is $65, including a hosted bar; (773) 489-3160 or www.doubledoor.com.

4. The Tossers, Yakuza, Teen Idols and Scott Lucas and the Married Men at Reggie's Rock Club, 2109 S. State

Cudos to Reggie's for a diverse and creative bill strong on local talent. The Tossers make every day St. Patrick's Day, Yakuza stretches the boundaries of metal in ways unmatched by any other group on the scene, Teen Idols are pop-punk at its best and Lucas is just as great with the more rootsy Married Men as he is with Local H--he just won't have time to chat after his set at 8 p.m. since he'll be heading north to Double Door for his second gig of the night. Tickets are $30; (312) 949-0121, www.reggieslive.com.

5. The Fiery Furnaces at Lincoln Hall, 2424 N. Lincoln

I respect the wild art-rock ambitions of Oak Park natives Eleanor and Matthew Friedberger more than I love the Fiery Furnaces' music, especially on their eighth album, "I'm Going Away." But the group is much more fun onstage, where its legions of fans can marvel at Matthew's ability to navigate those serpentine arrangements, as well as bask in his sister's captivating presence. The show starts at 9 p.m., Cryptacize shares the bill and tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Call (773) 525-2501 or visit www.lincolnhallchicago.com.

The House of Blues, 329 N. Dearborn, steps into the time machine to present Big Head Todd and the Monsters at 9:30 in the main room and Urge Overkill at 10 on the Backporch Stage. Tickets for the former are $57.50 in advance or $63 at the door, while Urge is $40 in advance or $44 at the door; (312) 923-2000, www.hob.com.

Finally, on the big corporate New Year's Eve party tip, superstar DJ Mark Ronson will spin at the Beck's Music Export Party at River East Art Center, 435 E. Illinois, sharing the bill with the Airborne Toxic Event, the Virgins, the Drums and a local act that will have won the slot via a cheesy online competition. (Tickets are $50; visit www.BecksMusicExport.com.) And, if you want to ring in 2010 like it's 1992, the Gin Blossoms will play the 13th annual New Year's Eve Rock 'n' Roll Ball at the InterContinental O'Hare (5300 N. River Rd., Rosement) along with openers the Nicholas Tremulis Orchestra. Tickets are $85 through Ticketmaster.

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4 Comments

I'm all for nostalgia (especially since my age places me in high school when half of these bands were significiant), but really... Why can't these bookers sell a show with artists from the current decade? Why must we reach back into the 90s to get more than 100 people into a venue?

(That said, on NYE I'll be playing 80s covers at a bar in Naperville, so I should just shut up now.)

In honor of Jens Lekman's brief residency at the Empty Bottle, Chicago's Team Band has released the EP "I Don't Speak British: Team Band plays the music of Jens Lekman." Free download and streaming of the EP at http://www.jointeamband.com